1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to retaining a circuit card and more particularly relates to connection and disconnecting a circuit card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circuit cards are typically retained within an enclosure or system using one or more retention devices such as brackets or the like. The retention devices may direct the circuit card to a connector, easing the engagement of the circuit card with the connector. In addition, the circuit card may provide physical support to the circuit card.
Circuit cards are often retained using industry standard retention devices. For example, industry standards such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) defined by the Peripheral Component Interconnect Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group of Wakefield, Massachusetts may define connection standards. In addition, standards may specify retention devices. For example, the PCI Mezzanine Card (“PMC”) standard P1386.1 defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers of New York specifies retention devices and criteria for circuit cards employing the PCI standard.
Unfortunately, a system or enclosure may need to retain a circuit card in a configuration not supported by a suitable industry standard retention device. For example, the system may not be able to retain and connect a daughter card on a mother card that does not support industry standard retention devices because of space or other considerations. The daughter card must instead be connected without the benefit of direction from retention devices to align a daughter card connector with a mother card connector. In addition, the daughter card may be inadequately retained such that forces exerted on the daughter card may damage the daughter card or the mother card.
Circuit cards may also be difficult to connect and disconnect. For example, a circuit card may be difficult to align and secure to a connector. In addition, a user may have difficulty disconnecting and removing a properly secured circuit card because of problems releasing any mechanisms securing the circuit card. Connecting and disconnecting the circuit card may be a particular problem when for a daughter card connected to a mother card as the mother card may be less tolerant of the physical forces required to connect and disconnect the daughter card.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that retain circuit cards in non-standard configurations and that allows easy connection and disconnection of the circuit cards. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would connect, retain, and disconnect circuit cards including when standard retention devices are unavailable.